The 7 Best Immersion Blenders to Buy in 2018

Shop the best immersion blenders for soups, smoothies, milkshakes, and more

Let’s face it: Getting out that clunky blender (over and over again) is a hassle. The stick thin, light build of an immersion blender takes the strain out of the process, so you can easily blend a single smoothie, whip up a batch of pesto, or transform a margarita from on the rocks to frozen in no time.

No more transferring soup to your blender to purée it only to have to pour it back into your stockpot. No more dismantling a dozen pieces just to give your blender a thorough cleaning. Skip all...MORE the hassle and make your life a little bit easier with an immersion blender. These easy-to-use appliances can do almost anything a regular blender can, but they are easier to store if you are tight on space and easier to clean if you don't have a dishwasher. And because you can maneuver an immersion blender more freely, you'll be able to get every last bit of that smoothie or sauce mixed, no more shaking the blender jar or stopping to scrape down the sides.

Take a look at the best immersion blenders on the market right now, and find the one that’s right for your kitchen.

Best Overall: Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-75BC

Cuisinart’s immersion blender strikes the perfect balance between power (it boasts a 200-watt motor), versatility ( two-speed settings conquer a range of tasks), and affordability. So it's no wonder that it currently reigns supreme as the top-selling immersion blender on Amazon. The high/low speed settings are perfect for stirring sauces and salad dressings and blending cold drinks, soups, smoothies, and more. Ever wondered why some milkshakes turn out frothy? That’s the result of emulsion—a...MORE byproduct of air. But unlike other immersion blenders, this unit barely adds any of it to the mix. Less air results in a relatively bubble-free smoothie.

Plus, it gets style points for coming in a dozen colors, including: white, red, brushed chrome, metallic charcoal, and onyx, among others. This broad palette empowers you to find the perfect match to your kitchen design. Accident prone? Cuisinart’s limited three-year warranty has you covered. Once you have one of these at home, get started quickly with the one-touch blending control and presto. This set includes a two-cup, microwave-safe mixing beaker for several blending purposes. Cleanup is a breeze as well since both the shaft and the blending cup are dishwasher-safe.

One word of warning with this model: the plastic gear can wear out quickly if used aggressively. To extend its life, don't mix up too many smoothies with frozen fruit and ice chunks back-to-back.

Best Budget: Betty Crocker Hand Blender with Beaker

This budget-friendly immersion blender costs less than $20 and is a perfect match for anyone on a budget. The good news is you won't sacrifice blending power. Switch between the two-speed selection (as well as Pulse Action Control) to achieve desired results. A sturdy stainless steel blade rips through the toughest ingredients, resulting in fewer chunks in your blended beverages.

A sleek white exterior matches perfectly with elegant kitchen designs. The easy-to-grip ergonomic handle makes...MORE it easy to hold without straining your hand or wrist. Finished making your pesto? Pop off the detachable blending shaft and load it in the dishwasher.

One common complaint with this model is that it can get a bit noisy, but no more so than your traditional blender. Still, it’s probably best to wait on that morning smoothie until everyone in the house is awake. You'll also get a 600-milliliter mixing beaker, which is a great additional value.

Best Multi-Tasker: Braun Multiquick Hand Blender

The bell-shaped blending shaft on this stick blender is designed to speed up the blending process while also blending to a fine, smooth consistency. The design also reduces suction that can hold a blender to the bottom of a container, so it’s easier to move the blender up, down, and around.

When it comes to speed selection, this blender has a variable speed control that responds based on how hard you squeeze the trigger, so it’s easy to operate with just one hand.

While it’s a great stick blender,...MORE it also comes with attachments that click on and off easily. Besides the 20-ounce beaker, it also includes a whisk attachment, a masher, and a food processor with three blades of its own. While attachments are great if you need them, it also means you’ll be taking up a little more storage space.

Best High Powered: Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender

No need to break the bank to get a juiced-up stick blender. You can get up to 700-watts of blending power—all in the palm of your hand. Tough enough to cut through ice and meat, this Cuisinart model also comes with an assortment of attachments including a food processor (with a reversible sharp and blunt blade), a four-cup beaker, and a potato masher, plus the more common whisk and shredding disc to expand your prep options.

Plus, its dishwasher-safe design shaves time off of cleanup. The one...MORE drawback of this unit is a pesky design flaw which forces you to simultaneously press two buttons to operate, making continuous use a tiresome task. Its bulky, five-pound build also makes this unit one of the heaviest immersion blenders on the market.

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Best for Making Smoothies: Vremi Hand Blender

Obsessed with smoothies? This standout unit is designed to satisfy your cravings. Its high-powered, 350-watt motor pulverizes ingredients in less than three seconds—and that’s using the slowest of the impressive eight-speed settings.

Whisk, beat, and chop by using one of the four included blades. This model is one of the few that includes such a wide variety. Known for quiet operation, break out this immersion blender and prepare your favorite smoothies at any hour of the day without waking...MORE anyone up. Constantly on the move? Pour your smoothie ingredients into the included 20-ounce, BPA-free travel bottle, blend them in a flash, then sip on the go. The Vremi is also powerful (and durable) enough to crush ice cubes without stalling out or wearing down.

If you don’t like dangling a power cord over a hot soup pot, or your kitchen outlets are awkwardly placed, a cordless stick blender might be your new best friend. Unfortunately, cordless tools have to balance battery life against the size, weight, and cost of the battery.

This blender can operate for 20 minutes before it needs a recharge, which is plenty of time to whip up a smoothie, blend a soup, or make a batch of mayonnaise. If you need more time, this has a quick-charge feature, and there...MORE are five speed settings for anything you’d want to blend.

For more versatility, this also includes a 3-cup chopper attachment, a whisk attachment, and an electric knife attachment, so you’ll have plenty of reasons to keep it charged and ready.

This is heavier than corded models because of the battery, and also more expensive than most.

Best for Soups: Bamix Professional Hand Blender

This stick blender is built by hand in Switzerland and includes three different blades to handle distinct tasks: aerating, blending, and chopping. It’s built to supply more power with lower wattage and is perfectly balanced to reduce noise and vibration in use. Use the blending blade for smooth soups and the chopping blade when you want more texture. The shaft can be submersed a full 9.8 inches to get deep into a soup pot.

The aerating blade can be used to whip or beat liquids, and can even turn...MORE skim milk into a whipped topping for desserts or as a decorative dollop for a creamy soup.

This has two speeds with push-button control for continuous blending or pulsing, and an ergonomic handle. The open head makes it easy to draw food into the blades and makes it easy to clean under running water.

There are optional grinder, powder disk, and food processor attachments available separately.

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